Discussion: Byzantium and Islam

Module 5: Discussion: Byzantium and Islam

No unread replies.No replies.

Purpose

To compare and contrast Iconography within Medieval Byzantine Empire and early Islam

Theme

The theme of this module’s discussion board is religion.

Readings

Please read the following:

  • Ten Commandments  downloadPreview the document
  • Council 754  downloadPreview the document
  • Shirk in Islam  downloadPreview the document
  • Five Pillars of Islam  downloadPreview the document

Directions

  • Citing evidence from the section on Iconoclasm in Chapter 11 of the textbook, the Ten Commandments, the Five Pillars of Islam, “Shirk” in Islam, and the Iconoclastic Council, 754, what do Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have in common, why might Byzantine Christians have begun to urgently focus on this common tenet in the 8th Century, and what was the result?

When you have completed your response, please respond to at least one other classmate’s post. You can engage in friendly debate or add additional analysis and points to your classmate’s post.

Note: You will not be able to view your classmates’ posts until you make your first post.

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length, but not exceed 500 words. Your response to your classmate’s post should be at least 2-3 substantive sentences.

Grading

  • This discussion board assignment is worth 100 points.
  • Students are only required to complete FOUR of the Discussion Boards for their grade. Students may choose to complete ANY four of the seven Discussion Boards to complete this requirement. Additionally, students may choose to complete a fifth Discussion Board for extra credit. See the Rubric below for a detailed explanation of how this discussion will be graded.
  • Discussions are worth 25% of the overall grade.

Rubric

OutstandingVery GoodAveragePoor

Writing

40 Points

Demonstrates outstanding critical thinking and analytical skills in written responses.Demonstrates  critical thinking and analytical skills in written responses.Demonstrates  decent critical thinking and analytical skills in written responses, but lacks a thorough interpretation.Does not demonstrate  critical thinking and analytical skills in written responses. The effort is lacking. There appears to be little  understanding of the purpose of the assignment.

Analysis

40 Points

Displays outstanding knowledge and understanding of historical subject matter.Displays knowledge and understanding of historical subject matter.Displays fair knowledge and understanding of historical subject matter, but lacks a deep understanding.

Does not display consistent knowledge and understanding of historical subject matter.

The effort is lacking. There appears to be insufficient understanding of the meaning of the assigned reading(s).

Participation

20 Points

Writes thoughtful and analytical comments on other classmates’ posts. Is polite and encouraging in comments, even when questioning the classmate’s opinions and/or findings.Writes comments on other classmates’ posts that shows very good analysis and thoughtfulness. Is mostly polite and encouraging in comments, even when questioning the classmate’s opinions and/or findings.Writes comments on other classmates’ posts that shows fair good analysis and thoughtfulness, but does not always display a deep understanding of the original post. Is not always polite and encouraging in comments. The questions and comments are sometimes rude, though likely not on purpose.

Writes comments on other classmates’ posts that fail to display any meaningful analysis or thoughtfulness. It is not clear if the student understands the meaning or purpose of the original post.

The student is rude and not helpful at all in their comments.

Cultural Values in the Roman Republic

odule 3: Discussion: Cultural Values in the Roman Republic

No unread replies.No replies.

Purpose

To analyze and demonstrate knowledge of the cultural values of the ancient Romans.

Theme

The theme of this module’s discussion board is class and culture.

Reading

Please read the following before answering the questions below:

  • Livy: The Rape of Lucretia download
  • Ovid: Amores 1.4 download

Directions

Please answer the following questions in an original discussion post:

  • How did Livy and Ovid’s views about marriage and sex in Roman society differ?
  • In what ways did they seem to share certain assumptions about Roman cultural institutions?

When you have completed your response, please respond to another classmate’s post. You can engage in friendly debate or add additional analysis and points to your classmate’s post.

Note: You will not be able to view your classmates’ posts until you make your first post.

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length, but not exceed 500 words. Your response to your classmate’s post should be at least 2-3 substantive sentences.

Grading

  • This discussion board assignment is worth 100 points.
  • Students are only required to complete FOUR of the Discussion Boards for their grade. Students may choose to complete ANY four of the seven Discussion Boards to complete this requirement. Additionally, students may choose to complete a fifth Discussion Board for extra credit. See the Rubric below for a detailed explanation of how this discussion will be graded.
  • Discussions are worth 25% of the overall grade.

Rubric

OutstandingVery GoodAveragePoor

Writing

40 Points

Demonstrates outstanding critical thinking and analytical skills in written responses.Demonstrates  critical thinking and analytical skills in written responses.Demonstrates  decent critical thinking and analytical skills in written responses, but lacks a thorough interpretation.Does not demonstrate  critical thinking and analytical skills in written responses. The effort is lacking. There appears to be little  understanding of the purpose of the assignment.

Analysis

40 Points

Displays outstanding knowledge and understanding of historical subject matter.Displays knowledge and understanding of historical subject matter.Displays fair knowledge and understanding of historical subject matter, but lacks a deep understanding.

Does not display consistent knowledge and understanding of historical subject matter.

The effort is lacking. There appears to be insufficient understanding of the meaning of the assigned reading(s).

Participation

20 Points

Writes thoughtful and analytical comments on other classmates’ posts. Is polite and encouraging in comments, even when questioning the classmate’s opinions and/or findings.Writes comments on other classmates’ posts that shows very good analysis and thoughtfulness. Is mostly polite and encouraging in comments, even when questioning the classmate’s opinions and/or findings.Writes comments on other classmates’ posts that shows fair good analysis and thoughtfulness, but does not always display a deep understanding of the original post. Is not always polite and encouraging in comments. The questions and comments are sometimes rude, though likely not on purpose.

Writes comments on other classmates’ posts that fail to display any meaningful analysis or thoughtfulness. It is not clear if the student understands the meaning or purpose of the original post.

The student is rude and not helpful at all in their comments.

Livy: The Rape of Lucretia, from the History of Rome

Introduction: Titus Livius (c. 59 BCE – 17 CE) was a Roman historian who wrote the foundational history of Rome, Ad Urbe Condita (From the Founding of the City). This monumental work traces the history of the Roman Republic from its foundations through to the present moments of his own lifetime. One thing to keep in mind while reading Livy’s history is the historical context of its writing—meaning the period in which it was being written and read and the influence the events of that period may have had on his writing—as well as his own personal relationships to those in power and his own personal views of the successes and strengths of Rome and his viewpoint of its failings. In other words, you will want to consider his bias while reading this.

Questions to consider: How did the events, especially Augustan reforms on social and moral values, taking place during the end of the Republic and the beginning of the Empire shape Livy’s perspective of the past? How does Livy portray the family relationships? Who are portrayed as ideal good characters? Who are portrayed as villains?

 

Book 57 [According to Livy the King of the Romans and his army were currently attacking the neighboring Ardea in search of riches] …

As it commonly happens in standing camps, the war being rather tedious than violent, furloughs were easily obtained, more so by the officers, however, than the common soldiers. The young princes sometimes spent their leisure hours in feasting and entertainments. One day as they were drinking in the tent of Sextus Tarquin, where Collatinus Tarquinius, the son of Egerius, was also at supper, mention was made of wives. Every one commended his own in an extravagant manner, till a dispute arising about it, Collatinus said, “There was no occasion for words, that it might be known in a few hours how far his Lucretia excelled all the rest. If then, added he, we have any share of the vigour of youth, let us mount our horses and examine the behaviour of our wives; that must be most satisfactory to every one, which shall meet his eyes on the unexpected arrival of[Pg 75] the husband.” They were heated with wine; “Come on, then,” say all. They immediately galloped to Rome, where they arrived in the dusk of the evening. From thence they went to Collatia, where they find Lucretia, not like the king’s daughters-in-law, whom they had seen spending their time in luxurious entertainments with their equals, but though at an advanced time of night, employed at her wool, sitting in the middle of the house amid her maids working around her. The merit of the contest regarding the ladies was assigned to Lucretia. Her husband on his arrival, and the Tarquinii, were kindly received; the husband, proud of his victory, gives the young princes a polite invitation. There the villanous passion for violating Lucretia by force seizes Sextus Tarquin; both her beauty, and her approved purity, act as incentives. And then, after this youthful frolic of the night, they return to the camp.

Book 58

A few days after, without the knowledge of Collatinus, Sextus came to Collatia with one attendant only; where, being kindly received by them, as not being aware of his intention, after he had been conducted after supper into the guests’ chamber, burning with passion, when every thing around seemed sufficiently secure, and all fast asleep, he comes to Lucretia, as she lay asleep, with a naked sword, and with his left hand pressing down the woman’s breast, he says, “Be silent, Lucretia; I am Sextus Tarquin; I have a sword in my hand; you shall die, if you utter a word.” When awaking terrified from sleep, the woman beheld no aid, impending death nigh at hand; then Tarquin acknowledged his passion, entreated, mixed threats with entreaties, tried the female’s mind in every possible way. When he saw her inflexible, and that she was not moved even by the terror of death, he added to terror the threat of dishonour; he says that he will lay a murdered slave naked by her side when dead, so that she may be said to have been slain in infamous adultery. When by the terror of this disgrace his lust, as it were victorious, had overcome her inflexible chastity, and Tarquin had departed, exulting in having triumphed over a lady’s honour, Lucretia, in melancholy distress at so dreadful a misfortune, despatches the same messenger to Rome to her father, and to Ardea to her husband, that they would come each with one trusty friend; that it was necessary to do so, and that[Pg 76] quickly.[64] Sp. Lucretius comes with P. Valerius, the son of Volesus, Collatinus with L. Junius Brutus, with whom, as he was returning to Rome, he happened to be met by his wife’s messenger. They find Lucretia sitting in her chamber in sorrowful dejection. On the arrival of her friends the tears burst from her eyes; and to her husband, on his inquiry “whether all was right,” she says, “By no means, for what can be right with a woman who has lost her honour? The traces of another man are on your bed, Collatinus. But the body only has been violated, the mind is guiltless; death shall be my witness. But give me your right hands, and your honour, that the adulterer shall not come off unpunished. It is Sextus Tarquin, who, an enemy in the guise of a guest, has borne away hence a triumph fatal to me, and to himself, if you are men.” They all pledge their honour; they attempt to console her, distracted as she was in mind, by turning away the guilt from her, constrained by force, on the perpetrator of the crime; that it is the mind sins, not the body; and that where intention was wanting guilt could not be. “It is for you to see,” says she, “what is due to him. As for me, though I acquit myself of guilt, from punishment I do not discharge myself; nor shall any woman survive her dishonour pleading the example of Lucretia.” The knife, which she kept concealed beneath her garment, she plunges into her heart, and falling forward on the wound, she dropped down expiring. The husband and father shriek aloud.

Book 59

Brutus, while they were overpowered with grief, having drawn the knife out of the wound, and holding it up before him reeking with blood, said, “By this blood, most pure before the pollution of royal villany, I swear, and I call you, O gods, to witness my oath, that I shall pursue Lucius Tarquin the Proud, his wicked wife, and all their race, with fire, sword, and all other means in my power; nor shall I ever suffer them or any other to reign at Rome.” Then he gave the knife to Collatinus, and after him to Lucretius and Valerius, who were surprised at such extraordinary mind in the breast of Brutus. However, they all take the oath as they were directed, and converting their sorrow into rage, follow Brutus as their leader, who from that time ceased not to so[Pg 77]licit them to abolish the regal power. They carry Lucretia’s body from her own house, and convey it into the forum; and assemble a number of persons by the strangeness and atrocity of the extraordinary occurrence, as usually happens. They complain, each for himself, of the royal villany and violence. Both the grief of the father moves them, as also Brutus, the reprover of their tears and unavailing complaints, and their adviser to take up arms against those who dared to treat them as enemies, as would become men and Romans. Each most spirited of the youth voluntarily presents himself in arms; the rest of the youth follow also. From thence, after leaving an adequate garrison at the gates at Collatia, and having appointed sentinels, so that no one might give intelligence of the disturbance to the king’s party, the rest set out for Rome in arms under the conduct of Brutus. When they arrived there, the armed multitude cause panic and confusion wherever they go. Again, when they see the principal men of the state placing themselves at their head, they think that, whatever it may be, it was not without good reason. Nor does the heinousness of the circumstance excite less violent emotions at Rome than it had done at Collatia; accordingly they run from all parts of the city into the forum, whither, when they came, the public crier summoned them to attend the tribune of the celeres, with which office Brutus happened to be at that time vested. There an harangue was delivered by him, by no means of that feeling and capacity which had been counterfeited up to that day, concerning the violence and lust of Sextus Tarquin, the horrid violation of Lucretia and her lamentable death, the bereavement of Tricipitinus, to whom the cause of his daughter’s death was more exasperating and deplorable than the death itself. To this was added the haughty insolence of the king himself, and the sufferings and toils of the people, buried in the earth in cleansing sinks and sewers; that the Romans, the conquerors of all the surrounding states, instead of warriors had become labourers and stone-cutters. The unnatural murder of king Servius Tullius was dwelt on, and his daughter’s driving over the body of her father in her impious chariot, and the gods who avenge parents were invoked by him. By stating these and other, I suppose, more exasperating circumstances, which though by no means easily detailed by writers, the heinousness of the case suggested at[Pg 78] the time, he persuaded the multitude, already incensed, to deprive the king of his authority, and to order the banishment of L. Tarquin with his wife and children. He himself, having selected and armed some of the young men, who readily gave in their names, set out for Ardea to the camp to excite the army against the king: the command in the city he leaves to Lucretius, who had been already appointed prefect of the city by the king. During this tumult Tullia fled from her house, both men and women cursing her wherever she went, and invoking on her the furies the avengers of parents.

Book 60

News of these transactions having reached the camp, when the king, alarmed at this sudden revolution, was going to Rome to quell the commotions, Brutus, for he had notice of his approach, turned out of the way, that he might not meet him; and much about the same time Brutus and Tarquin arrived by different routes, the one at Ardea, the other at Rome. The gates were shut against Tarquin, and an act of banishment passed against him; the deliverer of the state the camp received with great joy, and the king’s sons were expelled. Two of them followed their father, and went into banishment to Cære, a city of Etruria. Sextus Tarquin, having gone to Gabii, as to his own kingdom, was slain by the avengers of the old feuds, which he had raised against himself by his rapines and murders. Lucius Tarquin the Proud reigned twenty-five years: the regal form of government continued from the building of the city to this period of its deliverance, two hundred and forty-four years. Two consuls, viz. Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, were elected by the prefect of the city at the comitia by centuries, according to the commentaries of Servius Tullius.

 

Adapted from: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19725/19725-h/19725-h.htm (accessed 12/11/20)

Western Civilization Quiz: Aegean

1. The rest of Greece admired Sparta for its

A. artistic creativity.

B. contributions to philosophy.

C. military might.

D. All these answers are correct.

2. Greeks of the Archaic Age were NOT bound together by a

A. common language.

B. unified state.

C. shared tradition of heroic stories and folk tales.

D. standard set of myths and religious practices.

3. Solon was

A. the leader of the Spartans in the Persian Wars.

B. an Athenian admiral during the Persian Wars.

C. an aristocrat who reformed the Athenian economy and social orders.

D. one of the early Greek playwrights.

4. The impact of Greece’s first philosophers resulted from the fact that

A. they described the physical world as the result of natural causes and effects.

B. they questioned the role, power, and existence of the Greek deities.

C. they established a body of knowledge that came to be identified as natural philosophy.

D. All these answers are correct.

5. The cultural institution that grew out of the worship of Dionysus was the

A. library.

B. academy.

C. church.

D. theater.

6. Minoan art reveals which Cretan religious practice?

A. worship of a god of thunder

B. human sacrifices

C. worship of a mother goddess

D. belief in a deity who resides within each human subject

7. In the Archaic style, how did a statue of a korē differ from a statue of a kouros?

A. A korē was given an archaic smile.

B. A korē was portrayed clothed.

C. A korē was portrayed with stylized hair.

D. All these answers are correct.

8. One Egyptian influence on Archaic Greek sculpture was

A. open body stance and balance.

B. shifting of bodily weight onto one leg.

C. left-foot-forward movement.

D. emotions recorded on faces.

9. Named for King Minos, the Minoan civilization

A. had a simple class structure consisting of nobles and peasants.

B. was based on a stable mercantile economy.

C. was a society based on a military hierarchy.

D. had high walls protecting its great palaces.

10. Minoan civilization eventually fell to the

A. Egyptians.

B. Etruscans.

C. Mycenaeans.

D. Dorians.

11. Sappho’s lyric poetry mainly addressed the subject of

A. victorious athletes.

B. passionate love in all of its aspects.

C. political and social problems.

D. nature.

12. Pythagoras was author of which scientific theory?

A. the notion that the basic stuff of nature is water

B. the concept of atomism

C. the view of the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water

D. the belief that everything is based on numbers

13. An oligarchy is

A. government by the few.

B. similar to a democracy.

C. rule by a king.

D. None of these answers is correct.

14. Mycenaean civilization transmitted which legacy to Archaic Greece?

A. fortress-palaces

B. ashlar-style construction

C. legends and myths of gods and heroes

D. imaginative literature

15. Which of these features are common to the Doric temple style?

A. columns with undecorated capitals

B. metopes

C. triglyphs

D. All these answers are correct.

16. The significance of the Persian Wars was that they

A. meant the triumph of the East over the West.

B. ended the Golden Age of Greece.

C. allowed Greek democratic institutions and humanistic values to continue to develop.

D. led Greece to experience a century of peace.

17. Mycenaean civilization was centered

A. on the Peloponnesus.

B. in northern Greece.

C. on the Greek islands.

D. on Crete.

18. What change occurred in Archaic sculpture at the end of the period?

A. Faces became more emotional.

B. Realistic tension was now depicted in the body.

C. Frontality was introduced.

D. All these answers are correct.

19. Homer’s writings drew on legends of

A. Egyptian civilization.

B. Minoan civilization.

C. Mycenaean civilization.

D. Etruscan civilization.

20. Greek religion taught the faithful to avoid the sin of hubris, or

A. greed.

B. extreme pride.

C. sexual immorality.

D. murder.

21. What aspect of love does Sappho describe in the poem “He Seems to Be a God”?

A. ecstasy

B. contentment

C. hatred

D. jealousy

22. The style of Greek pottery decorations which immediately followed the Orientalizing period is called

A. the yellow and black figure style.

B. the red-figure style.

C. the multi-colored style.

D. the black-figure style.

23. The Greeks thought that human creativity came from

A. the Olympian deities.

B. Dionysus and his followers.

C. the oracle at Delphi.

D. nine goddesses called Muses.

24. The philosopher Heraclitus

A. was a materialist like Thales.

B. followed idealism like Pythagoras.

C. established the first dialectical form of reasoning.

D. found truth in a stable universe.

25. Unlike the Egyptian style, the Archaic style was characterized by

A. a slight smile on the face.

B. female and male nudes.

C. distortion of the musculature.

D. the free movement of the body.

26. A major political change occurred, in the early Archaic Age, that

A. shifted power from the land owners to the peasants.

B. made the kings more powerful than ever.

C. put power into the hands of the noble families.

Early Medieval Cultures Essay

Early Medieval Cultures Essay

This assignment provides you with an opportunity to discuss an insight you gained in this unit by comparing the development of one specific Islamic and one specific Christian region in 600–1000 C.E. Using examples of significant leaders, political and social structures, beliefs, and cultural products (stories, philosophies, theologies, artifacts, art, and architecture), note similarities and differences in the two cultures, and also indicate influences they share. What insight about the historical development of these two cultures did you gain from the comparison?

Step 1: Review the section of the Unit V Study Guide entitled, “Be Careful When Making Historical Assumptions.”

Step 2: Choose two appropriate sources, not including the textbook. At least one source must come from the CSU Online Library. The Academic Search Complete and eBook Academic Collection databases in the CSU Online Library would be good places to start your search. Resources from outside of the library should be credible and peer-reviewed by historians and cannot include Wikipedia, Biography.com, History.com, or any other .com site; resources should also not be taken from any type of message board or other encyclopedia-type sites, including those listed in the CSU Online Library research guides, which are provided for quick reference only and not for paper research.   If you need additional help with using or locating information in the CSU Online Library, there are library video tutorials available on the main page of the online library under the heading “Research Guides.”

Step 3: Complete your research. Choose one interesting comparison that illustrates the main point that you want to make about these cultures during this period. Gather details about your choice.   Compare similar features (known as “comparing like terms”). For example, compare cities to cities, education systems to education systems, technologies to technologies, stories to stories, ideas about the nature of God to ideas about the nature of God, and other features. Make sure you complete the comparison for all features, or note why you think there is not a like term for some features.   Comparison includes consideration of both similarities and differences.   Here are some examples to consider:  ◾ the promotion and use of learning by leading figures;  ◾the relationship between religious and political authority;  ◾the shaping of artifacts (leader, idea, practice, or structure) by time period and environment;  ◾the shaping of societies by artifacts and whether different people were affected differently; and  ◾the way that different elements of culture reflect power arrangements, goals, hierarchies, and/or challenges.

Step 4: Prepare your introduction, including your thesis statement. A thesis is prepared after you have completed your research and includes the comparison of what you found. It should be a one- or two-sentence statement of the conclusions you drew from the comparison.   S

tep 5: Write your essay. Your essay must be at least 500 words in length.

Step 6: Reflect on how this comparison paper shaped your understanding of how to practice cultural history ethically, as discussed in the “Be Careful When Making Historical Assumptions” section of the Unit V Lesson. Write one paragraph to be placed after the concluding paragraph of your essay, reflecting on how the guidelines in the unit lesson shaped your understanding of how to use historical evidence, including artifacts, to practice cultural history ethically.